The FRONT: A Leadership Podcast

When you are happy, upbeat and positive. It promotes self-confidence. It improves creative and cognitive thinking. It improves emotional state for things like happiness, joy, and love. And, when we are in a good emotional state, people will normally produce a higher number of actions… in general. So happy people do and accomplish more.

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1. Be deliberate about what you put into your brain. Start with turning off the news. Engage with the right people. Read books. Listen to motivational content (podcasts) rather than the radio.
2. Eat right, get good sleep, and exercise. Eat the right things, the right times and so on. You can’t live on just cookies and get fat, and wonder why you don’t have any energy… it’s because you are overweight and only eat cookies. Make deliberate time to go to the gym, or if not the gym, walk around the neighborhood. Go for a walk with your spouse, and kids, make a connection and make it fun.
3. Have an attitude of gratitude. Take time out to really focus on and consider what you’re grateful for. It’s not just the “right” thing to do; it also reduces stress. Research conducted at the University of California, Davis, found that people who worked daily to cultivate an attitude of gratitude experienced improved mood, energy and substantially less anxiety due to lower cortisol levels.
4. Add value to someone else today. What you give to people and how you treat them will be reciprocated. And if you treat people well it starts to reflect on yourself.

There are a lot more options and ways for staying positive or becoming a positive focused person. But I find that these work the best for me. These things give good energy, help to steer my focus for the day… and ultimately allow me to remain a positive influence on myself and others, therefore being viewed as an overall positive person!

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#StayPositive

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Once you have made it into management or leadership, or maybe you are now considered an expert in a particular field. Sometimes it becomes difficult to ask for assistance, especially in the area you are supposed to be excellent at. I come across this with friends of mine, and in fact myself sometimes.

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Let me give you an example – let’s say you are a top producing salesperson and you have hit a slump. Where do you turn for advice? Or do you ask for advice… or help to get out of your slump?

See, with so many people, it is really hard to bruise our own ego and ask for help from other sources. Because if for at least a moment, it means first and foremost, that we have to admit the ultimate truth to ourselves… that we don’t have the answer!

1. Fear of being a bother. They don’t want to be a bother to someone else. You think, well they are to busy to deal with something so easy… but if it was that easy you would have the answer!
2. Fear of having to owe someone something in return. Holy cow, this is huge… if I ask someone this, and they help me. Then I will “owe” them something, I’ll have to pay them back. AND – what if when they come calling… I don’t have the answer?
3. Fear of being embarrassed and appearing weak, failure. This is a heavy one because, in our hearts, no one wants to really admit that they don’t know the answer for fear that the other party you may ask may see you as inferior. This is probably one of the most unjustified fears we can have? Most of the time, people do really want to help and it allows them to shine with their expertise.
4. Good old fear of rejection. Quite simply, we are scared that if we ask... the other party might say “no.” I’ll say it again, most of the time, people do really want to help and it allows them to shine with their expertise. AND – the primary reason that they might say no… is if they don’t know the answer. Then you can seek it out together!

You MUST stay teachable and forever be learning!

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So let’s first talk about what investing means.

INVEST – To expend money or resources with the expectation of achieving a profit, material result and/or increase in resources by putting it into financial options, shares, or property, or by using it to develop a venture.

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TIME is one of our most powerful and important resources. You see most resources such as money, food, or other materials, even staff members can be drawn on and then replace.  As they deplete you can often replace them in other manners or with multiple techniques and approaches. Time, however, is not replaceable all have the same amount in a day. You have to invest your time wisely.

• To
• Invest
• My
• Energy

There are all kinds of things that we can invest in. We can invest in personal growth, in ourselves, we can invest in our businesses, we can invest in our people, we can invest in our families, there are many other ways in which we can invest our time and our energy and our resources more than just money.

If I’m investing my time my energy maybe your money into personal training or personal growth those are things that are valuable.

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#MUCHLOVE

As a leader, it is being competent in where your individual people and teams are at. As an individual, it is knowing yourself, knowing your ability and being confident to compete at that level.

Competing at the highest level is not just about winning. It's about preparation, courage, it's the journey. You have to understand and nurture your people and speak to their hearts. Win their hearts and their heads will follow. Winning then is the result.

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It is important to know what level you are at. It's also important as a coach to be aware of what level your players are at. Though business may not be exactly like sports, I love the analogies that compare sports to business. I think there is a lot of relevance regarding the comparison between sports and business.

It’s important as a coach, leader, manager, maybe even as a parent, to have those conversations so that your team, employees, and kids can accel.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of "THE FRONT." Remember, new episodes are produced every Wednesday and Sunday. I appreciate you tuning in and SUBSCRIBING, and feedback is welcomed! 

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Thanks! #MUCHLOVE

This episode is geared heavily toward the automotive space and third-party vendors.

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Performance measurement starts with the target and goal setting! Many people think that they should begin measuring once you have a set target. As a key leader, it is your job to begin by determining realistic targets. Targets based on past performance and adjusting as necessary.

When you are monitoring, your system must be efficient and consistent and it has to be duplicatable. Often auto dealers or other businesses think to themselves, well I want to increase sales this month, so I’ll measure this metric this month. You have to determine what are the real keys… and then measure them every month… until you don’t anymore.

A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is something that is measurable and allows you to tell when you have achieved a specific goal or set of goals, or not. When setting the goals and the specific targets, KPI’s for each goal it is important to foresee how the achievement of the target will be monitored and measured.

In any business, it is important to take into consideration what the “standards” are. But also to question, how did that become the standard? Can we do better? Is that standard real for our business? Never take a third party or vendor’s metrics as gospel, and not question the source. It is important to ask yourself the question, “How do you know?”

And when doing that, use your metrics primarily, not someone else’s. It’s good to know what other’s are achieving and accomplishing. But make sure that you don’t get caught in the trap of ONLY comparing your business to someone else’s.

YOU continue to improve on each days performance every day!

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The reason is because once someone can see something take place, or they see a goal get accomplished it starts to change how their perception is.

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Taking action is especially important for people in management and leadership roles. When those in leadership take action to show others how to accomplish a goal or task, they get buy-in. The people that work along-side, or for them, start to understand what to do and how to do it. Watching these people perform the tasks they are asking for, carries much more weight than just a "story-telling session" about the good old days.

If you are in a leadership role in your organization it is important to continue to be brilliant at the basic tasks that got you into your position in the first place. Don't abandon the things that got you to where you are.

If you continue to do those things and show others how to do those things you will be unstoppable. SHOW people how to be excellent in business. Don't just tell them how you got there.  

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Have you gotten started on what you said you were going to get started on? You just finished your resolutions three days ago. It's time to start taking some action!

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I am a huge fan of taking action and getting going right now. You know, living your life on "AA's" - actions and attitude. Those are two things that you dominate and have complete control over. What actions are you going to take... and how are you going to approach your day?

HAVE A SMILE ON YOUR FACE! It's important. So tune in now!

Thank you for listening, watching, and reading! Please subscribe for updates! Give likes and thumbs ups.  Let's go have a stellar 2018!

#MUCHLOVE

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I hope you have a fun, exciting and Prosperous New Year 2018!

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On New Year's Eve, last year, many were claiming that 2017 would be the best year ever!!! How quickly those statements and resolutions can become abandoned and forgotten. Fast forward one year... 2018 will be the best year ever!!! So the "they" say...

Each and every year we will take out of it the good, the bad and the ugly, and we always have the opportunity to make the upcoming year the best one yet! Happy New Year!

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If you are anywhere online right now, there are stories and ads all over the place that are urging you to make your resolutions! In fact, many of the articles are similar to... "9 Steps for Success, in 2018!" "Here is how to conquer everything in 2018!" "New Year, New You!" You know the drill. Just google 2018 New years resolutions and prepare to be bombarded.

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Here is the number one thing that will keep you successful in 2018 - staying true to yourself and staying true to your basic principles. The core processes and principles that got you to see success in your past, will be the launch of your future success as well. If you're in sales, for example, stay rooted in your basic sales process. Whatever your process is, stay true to that core.

You should always be on the lookout for new and innovative ideas, processes and products - but, don't lose sight of your core. Add-ons should bring value to the way you already do business. Your passion for what you do and who you are is what has gotten you to see some success already. Hold onto that, and build on it. Have a killer 2018!

Thanks, Mike

#MUCHLOVE

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Thank you to everybody who has watched or listened to an episode of "THE FRONT" this year. 2017 has been an amazing year. Both in the auto business and doing my podcasts and YouTube videos. I have made some amazing connections this year and look forward to an awesome upcoming 2018.

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To those of you who have read and contributed in the blog, the people that I have met in person or connected to online.

So, from Lead The Team, from myself and from my whole family! Merry Christmas! (or if you don't do Christmas, that's cool, do your thing!) and Happy Holidays!

#MUCHLOVE

-Mike

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